Hope Lutheran Church Started as a Mission Congregation
Hope Lutheran started as a mission congregation in 1958 with a church on the north side of Fargo. Through the years we began to outgrow this facility. Based on this trend and seeing a lot of growth on the south side of Fargo, we added a new worship opportunity in a school on the south side of Fargo in the fall of 1992. This new gathering experienced rapid growth and by 1995 we were averaging nearly 500 people every Sunday. With solid support and continued growth of our core membership attending our North Campus, we celebrated the opening of our South Campus on Christmas Eve, 1995.
We emphasize our unity between the two campuses by serving one congregation at two locations. Even though we have two campuses, we are served by the same staff, led by one leadership team and work together in all ministries as one congregation.
Hope Lutheran Church currently has approximately 11,000 baptized members.
1958-2009
1958 |
Pastor Bud Roufs conducts first worship service, May 25 |
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First Sunday School classes, September 7 |
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1959 |
Add second worship service and Sunday School session |
1961 |
Build education wing |
1962 |
Begin holding three worship services and Sunday School sessions |
1966 |
Pastor Frank Lee begins ministry (-1970) |
1968 |
Construct "round" sanctuary, nursery and kitchen |
1970 |
Pastor Darrel Gilbertson begins ministry (-1974) |
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Pastor John Elverum begins ministry (-1992) |
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1974 |
Pastor Roland Martinson begins ministry (-1977) |
1975 |
Sponsor our first refugee family |
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Remodel education wing |
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1978 |
Pastor David Johnson begins ministry (-2006) |
1979 |
Call first full-time youth director |
1980 |
Hope is Alive Outside worship begins |
1981 |
Pastor Paul Leslie begins ministry (-1984) |
1982 |
Charter Hope Lutheran Foundation |
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TOT Sunday School begins in January |
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1983 |
Eric McIntyre begins Worship & Music ministry (-1998) |
1984 |
Pastor Charles Olmstead begins ministry |
1985 |
WINGS children's ministry begins |
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Hope Hangout for youth begins |
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1986 |
Marilyn Wahlgren joins office staff (named Business Administrator 1998) |
1987 |
Dedicate Fellowship Center & nursery addition |
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Pastor Harvey Gilbertson begins visitation ministry (-1998) |
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Alternative worship service in Fellowship Center begins |
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1988 |
Begin missionary sponsorship |
1990 |
Add second alternative service in Fellowship Center |
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Dedicate new pipe organ |
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Over 1000 children enroll in Sunday School |
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Bill Haaland is hired as head custodian |
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1991 |
JoEllen Solberg begins counseling ministry (-2001) |
1992 |
John Coler is hired as Youth Ministry Director (-2004) |
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Pastor Tom Holtey begins ministry (-1998) |
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Hope South worship begins 10/13 at Centennial |
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Pastors Mark & Kathy Vitalis Hoffman begin ministry (-2002) |
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1993 |
Peggy Pepsin is hired for Confirmation Ministry |
1994 |
Hope South Worship moves to Discovery School |
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"A Journey Called Hope" Capital Campaign begins |
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1995 |
Groundbreaking at Hope Lutheran - North & South Campuses |
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North Campus office wing is completed in October |
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First services at South Campus: Christmas Eve |
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1996 |
Church Council is reorganized to better serve ministry areas |
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Hope Lutheran is online at www.fargohope.org |
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Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir Project performed |
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Three morning worship services at South Campus |
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1997 |
Jackie Berndt is hired for Children's Ministry |
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Hans Vigesaa joins Youth Ministry staff (-2000) |
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Wednesday Night Faith Steps begins at South Campus |
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1998 |
Amy Vigesaa joins staff as Director of Worship and Music (-2000) |
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Pastor Robert L. Anderson begins visitation ministry |
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Friday Night Worship & Faith Steps begins at South Campus |
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Observe "40 Years of Hope" |
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1999 |
Pastor Steve Bakke begins ministry (-2002) |
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Alpha Course begins |
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Ann Seczko is named HopeCare Coordinator |
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North Campus services are all held in Sanctuary |
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hopekids.asp (after school program) begins at South Campus |
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2000 |
"Continuing the Journey Called Hope" Capital Campaign |
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Phil Meyer joins staff as Director of Worship & Music (-2002) |
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2001 |
Groundbreaking at South Campus |
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Wednesday Worship & Faith Steps begins at North Campus |
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hopekids.asp (after school program) begins-North Campus |
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Hope Preschool becomes part of Hope Lutheran's ministry |
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2002 |
Andria Messelt (Olson) joins Youth Ministry (relocates to Worship Arts in 2006) |
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Jeremy Johnson joins Youth Ministry (-2007) |
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Pastor Paul Nynas begins ministry |
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Julie Joyce Smith is named Director of Worship & Music (-2006) |
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North Campus remodeling/updating is complete |
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South Campus Sanctuary addition is complete |
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First Annual HopeFest held |
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2003 |
Pastor Kevan Smith begins ministry |
2004 |
Diane Nelson named Director of Women's Ministry (-2008) |
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Priscilla Smith named Hospitality Director for the North Campus |
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Hope Lutheran builds first Habitat for Humanity house |
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2005
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Steve Sjoberg joins staff as Director of Communications and Technology |
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Sarah Seibold & Jacki Torfin (-2008) join Youth and Family Ministry |
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FUEL (Young Adult Worship) begins at South Campus |
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2006 |
CONNECT (5th & 6th grades) begins |
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Pastor Gary Clark begins visitation ministry |
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Pastor David Johnson retires |
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Pastor Charles Olmstead called as Senior Pastor |
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Hope Lutheran raised money to build a church and support AIDS treatment in the Central African Republic |
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2007 |
Grand Adults Ministry begins |
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Ben Land joins staff as Director of Media Ministries and FUEL Coordinator |
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Tom Frodsham is named Worship Arts Director (-2008) |
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Pastor Mike Toomey begins ministry |
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Bridgett Frodsham joins Youth Ministry (-2008) |
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Pastor Stephanie Tollefson begins ministry |
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"Building Bridges to a Living Hope" Capital Campaign |
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Mark Proulx and Kathryn Kingsley (Knutzen) join Student Ministry |
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2008 |
Judy Siegle named Director of Women's Ministry |
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John Bedore named Worship Arts Director |
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Adam Voigt joins Student Ministry |
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2009 |
Asha Hertler joins staff as Director of Technology |
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Hopekids Ministry is launched |
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2010 |
Jessica Veiss joins Student Ministry |
First Sanctuary, North Campus 1958
Pastor Bud & Audrey Roufs
Outdoor Worship at the North Campus
Worship in South Fargo began at Centennial School in 1992
Worship began at the South Campus in the Discovery Center in 1995
North Campus sanctuary was remodeled in 2002
South Campus worship moved to the new sanctuary in 2002
Support for the Central African Republic began in 2006. Central Temple in Bouar, C.A.R. was completed in 2007. Pictured is completed Emmanual Health Center in Gallo, C.A.R., dedicated January 2010.
